"They don't know what to expect but on the day they will definitely be more than excited," she said.

It will be Prince Charles' fourth visit to PNG and Camilla's first.

Preparations for the royal visit have been underway for several weeks, with the city's infamous potholes being filled in along the route the royal couple will travel.

Scores of people have also been picking up garbage from the streets.

The November 3-16 trip is the latest to the Commonwealth by senior royals to mark Queen Elizabeth II's diamond jubilee.

Prince Charles will be looking to build on a surge in enthusiasm for the royal family during his Pacific tour.

When the royals arrive in Australia, they will tour Longreach, in Queensland's central west, as well as Melbourne, Adelaide, Hobart, Sydney and Canberra.

The royal couple wrap up their trip in New Zealand, where Prince Charles will celebrate his 64th birthday on November 14.

Their main functions are in Auckland and Wellington and will include a traditional Maori welcome that involves the hongi, or pressing of noses, and inspecting costumes from the upcoming Peter Jackson film The Hobbit.